Expansion
Renzo Piano Building Workshop
High Museum and Woodruff Arts Center
Atlanta, Georgia

 

Image courtesy High Museum and Woodruff Arts Center
North Elevation from 16th Street
Existing High Museum by Richard Meier with new Renzo Piano building.

The High Museum of Art has initiated a building expansion program that is the cornerstone of the overall upgrade of the Woodruff Arts Center. The new buildings will provide exhibition space, enhanced education and programming facilities, and expanded public amenities and services that will more than double the size of the existing Richard Meier designed building.  The project is a collaboration with Lord, Aeck & Sargent, Inc.

Image courtesy High Museum and Woodruff Arts Center
East Elevation from Piazza
New Atlanta College of Art Residence Hall and Sculpture Studio, New High Museum of Art Office Building, New High Museum of Art Building B, New High Museum of Art Building A

Image courtesy High Museum and Woodruff Arts Center
New Atlanta College of Art Residence Hall and Sculpture Studio

Image courtesy High Museum and Woodruff Arts Center
New High Museum of Art Office Building

The main Museum pavilion, the largest of the three buildings, will house part of the permanent collection and special exhibitions. It will have an expansive lobby with outdoor terrace, retail shop, coffee bar, and visitor amenities. Glass enclosed bridges will link the Meier building to this structure at the lobby level and on the top floor.

Image courtesy High Museum and Woodruff Arts Center
South Elevation from Piazza
The new Renzo Piano building and the existing High Museum by Richard Meier .

Image courtesy High Museum and Woodruff Arts Center
The new Renzo Piano building

A second building will feature a glass-enclosed lobby and two floors of gallery space above. Bridges will connect it to the main pavilion on the second and third floors.  A third building will provide office space for staff.  

Image courtesy High Museum and Woodruff Arts Center
South Elevation from 15th Street
New Atlanta College of Art Residence Hall and Sculpture Studio and existing Memorial Arts Building

The three buildings, along with the Memorial Arts Building, will enclose a piazza with a restaurant and outdoor cafŽ opposite the entrance to the main pavilion.

Drawing courtesy Renzo Piano Workshop
View of Piazza and Museum Entrance

The High Museum of Art, founded in 1905 as the Atlanta Art Association, is the leading art museum in the Southeastern United States. The Museum has two locations: the Meier designed main facility is in Atlanta's Midtown arts and business district and the High Museum of Art Folk Art and Photography Galleries are downtown in the Georgia-Pacific Center.

Photo: (C) 1993 Brad Wrisley
High Museum of Art designed by Richard Meier

Image courtesy High Museum and Woodruff Arts Center
Site Plan Lobby Level

Opening date is scheduled for Spring 2005

Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Genoa, Italy
In collaboration with Lord Aeck & Sargent, Inc.

Total new museum space: 177,000 square feet
The Meier building occupies 135,000 square feet

High Museum of Art
Woodruff Arts Center

November 11, 2002